By the Horns - Comm 403

     I decided to dive into semiotics this time with something that reflects myself internally (you know, if you're into this sort of thing).  Horoscopes have been around for centuries used as means of future telling, fortune reading, behavior, and even health concerns.  Apparently, there are very distinct traits for every Horoscope, so what better way to illuminate them then by semiotics.

     The sign:  The Taurus is represented by a bull with massive horns.  The bull itself may even be huge to take into consideration its "power", but this could be purely speculative.  The Taurus is represented also by a more common, simpler design:  a circle with two curved horns coming out on top. 

This symbol is considered "feminine"and "introverted" because Tauruses are reflective and thinkers..

     The signifier:  This horoscope is represented very well in both denotation and connotation.  The denotation of a bull would be a stubborn animal that does not migrate too far from its surroundings of a grassy, open area.  The connotative description of the Taurus reflects these traits, in that persons who are Tauruses are supposed to be stubborn, earthy, and yearn for stability in their lives.  Though is is a vague description, I feel as if I fit it perfectly - but doesn't everyone? These ideas expand into the more specific ones, such as"Tauruses are thinkers rather than do-ers",  "They are slow to anger but if pushed too far will erupt",  and "taking pleasure in simple comforts". Traits like this fit a tighter niche of people, but they still fit the description of a bull.  The sense that the Taurus (and maybe the other Horoscopes) took a lot of thinking and evaluating before this practice came into play, so why don't we take them more seriously?

     The signified:  We, as humans on planet Earth today (as opposed to our ancestors) have plenty of access to technology, and therefore more logical explanations for phenomenon we face in our lives.  In the times when stars themselves were a mystery, finding answers in these ethereal balls of light was deemed as an effective way to interpret an answer to your questions.  Nowadays, we see horoscopes in magazines and newspapers and see them as little hints or ideas to help you manage your day.  They literally lie in the same field as fortune cookies in this aspect; how could something that used to answer our insights of the future be reduced to a mere section of a newspaper?
     The aforementioned trait that horoscopes are flawed on is their vagueness.  The traits described by most horoscopes are usually hit-and-miss, and this could be from years of misinterpretation or just a change in cultural behaviors and beliefs.  A horoscope nowadays is about two sentences long, and will usually tell you to "reconnect with an old friend" or "look out for a potential love interest".  You can look up countless different horoscopes in a day from various sources, so which one is right?  The variation we find in the media is another flaw in our ability to believe horoscopes - there's a million of them.

     The mythos behind this horoscope is interesting because it was introduced with the 11 other Zodiac members.  In Greek mythology, Zues disguised himself as a stunning white bull that carries Europa across the ocean with an attempt to seduce her (an attempt that succeeds mind you).  So how does this tie in with any of the connotation or denotation?  It could be seen that this entire scheme of Zeus's was all a part of successful planning on his part, which ties into a Taurus's reflective thought process.  The other end of this would be the animal in choice for the Taurus, a bull.  Since they represent the docile, and stationary nature, the bull may have seemed to be a gentle spirit that would aid Europa across the sea.  Lastly the ties between the animal and the earth may come from relating earth to life.  Earth is life incarnate, and by Zeus helping Europa, he was giving her life as well. 

Europa, as she rides on the Taurus (Zeus).

    Zodiac symbols are definitely far from a religious collection at this point in time; however, it's never bad to have a little bit of a confidence boost in your life.  If anything, horoscopes help us think in a different way for a second.  They remind us of different priorities or abilities we have that we may have forgotten about.  To make the best use out of them would be to read them and to not take anything to heart, but rather to divert your attention and do a mental "sort out your mind" kind of routine.